Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in El Cajon

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Landlord and Tenant Law in California

The relationship between a landlord and tenant in El Cajon, California can sometimes be a touchy one. Landlords and tenants are not always clear on their respective rights and responsibilities.

Tenants and landlords have many legal rights and responsibilities. In general, these rights don't conflict with one another, as long as both parties are clear about what they are, and act accordingly.

Landlord's Rights in El Cajon, CA

Landlords are, of course, entitled to collect rent from their tenants. If a tenant fails to pay the agreed-upon rent, the landlord is normally able to evict the tenant without too much trouble, though the process can sometimes get fairly complicated.

Moreover, landlords can bill the tenant for any damage they cause to the unit, whether it was intentional or negligent. The costs of repairs for such damage can be deducted from a tenant's security deposit, but it should be noted that tenants aren't responsible for usual wear and tear, over which they have little control.

Tenant's Rights in El Cajon, CA

Tenants, most basically, have a right to a habitable apartment. After all, this is what they're paying for. El Cajon, California landlords are obligated to see that the units they rent to tenants are fit to be lived in by people. Many numerous defects might render an apartment uninhabitable, such as serious infestations and other problems with sanitation, lack of running water or electricity, or failure to provide adequate protection from the outside elements.

Tenants also have a right to ensure that the common areas of their apartment building are reasonably safe. Landlords are required to make sure that the common areas of their buildings meet El Cajon, California's building codes, and that there are no conditions that create unnecessary safety hazards. They are required to make, at their own expense, the proper repairs.

Under federal and California law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to severe civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords additionally cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For example, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Tenants are also legally protected from unfair eviction. Before a lease agreement expires, landlords cannot evict tenants unless they breach as significant term of the agreement by not paying rent, causing serious damage to the property, engaging in activities that are a nuisance to the other tenants, or engaging in illegal activity on the property, among other things.

Can a El Cajon, California Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Tenants and landlords always want to avoid getting into any serious disputes - these disputes interfere with the tenant's living arrangement, and the landlord's business. In short, they help nobody. While a good El Cajon, California attorney can certainly help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more valuable for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in El Cajon

El Cajon, California is a city in San Diego County. It has a population of just under 100,000 people.

El Cajon, California was formed from a land grant from the Mexican government in 1845, and was officially incorporated as a city in 1912.

El Cajon is located inland from San Diego, and as a result, its climate has more variation than San Diego from one extreme to another, but compared to most other places, its climate can be considered quite mild. Summers in El Cajon, California are quite warm, though it rarely gets extremely hot.

Like most places in California, El Cajon sports a large amount of ethnic and religious diversity. El Cajon, California is also home to a burgeoning art and culture district, including art galleries, and a strong commitment to public art.

If you are facing a legal issue in El Cajon, California, chances are good that there is a lawyer nearby who is capable of handling your problem, whatever it might be. El Cajon, California lawyers are always ready to meet the legal needs of their community. If you have any legal trouble whatsoever, no case is too big or too small for an El Cajon attorney.